SAINT PETERSBURG – Emil Forsberg’s deflected second-half goal gave Sweden a 1-0 victory over Switzerland to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 24 years.
Forsberg struck on 66 minutes in St. Petersburg when his shot deflected off the right boot of Manuel Akanji and into the net, handing Sweden victory in a game characterized by poor finishing.
The result means Sweden set up a quarter-final match in Samara on July 7, where they will meet the winners of Tuesday’s England versus Colombia game.
Both the Swedes and Swiss went into the game at Saint Petersburg Stadium knowing that their side of the World Cup last 16 draw had opened up to provide a golden opportunity for an unfancied team to reach the final.
Switzerland looked to be more intent on seizing that opportunity at the outset, controlling possession in the first half and with much of the play flowing through Xherdan Shaqiri in midfield.
It was Shaqiri who crossed for Steven Zuber, but he headed over from 10 yards out when well-placed to break the deadlock on 24 minutes.
A speculative effort followed from midfield enforcer Granit Xhaka, while Blerim Dzemaili fired over on 38 minutes after neat link-up play with Zuber.
At the other end, Swedish midfielder Albin Ekdal should have done better when completely unmarked at the back post, but he volleyed wide from a cross as the teams went into half time level.
The second half continued in the same vein with wasteful finishing, including when Ola Toivonen fired over the bar for Sweden when inside the box.
When the deadlock was finally broken on 66 minutes it rather suitably came through a deflected strike rather than a clean finish.
